REFILWE Documentary

Recently, there was a filming crew at Refilwe to prepare a documentary of the programs and activities at this community project. This video is of the Refilwe choir, made up mostly of Refilwe children and some of the Mamas and other workers at Refilwe. There were shots of the school, people working in the nursery with the tree project and in the piggery, interviews with staff members, and multiple other clips. The documentary will air on a South African TV channel in June. It promises to increase awareness of what is happening at Refilwe and potentially gain support from more local businesses and churches. I managed to dodge the cameras, but thankfully, this singing always grabs the cameras' attention, and for obvious reasons!

VCT in Malatjie

VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) has been going on for four weeks now, each week in a different community where our home care workers are placed. These pictures are from our week at Malatjie. This informal settlement has over 4,000 people living in it. That's an incredible number to reach with education and health testing which includes blood glucose (for Diabetes), blood pressure, Tuberculosis screening/testing of sputum, weight, and HIV testing. We are starting the HIV testing this week because the kits have finally arrived. Also, we have been educating and testing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We are going to start working on Tuesdays and Saturdays this week to reach the large numbers in the communities who are working on weekdays. Continue to pray as we face challenges of language/translation, stigmas, and staff motivation and enthusiasm. The pictures above are of the community of Malatjie, Peggy and Zuzeka (home care workers) giving education to people before they decide to do testing, and Nombulelo (our auxilliary nurse, who has been quite a blessing in the process of VCT) preparing to start testing.

IPL CRICKET!

Since I've come to South Africa, or rather since Cliff has come to South Africa, I have been learning a lot about the Cricket. Since the IPL (Indian Premier League) games came to South Africa, we took advantage of the opportunity to see a match. We overcame the challenges of a sold out night by finding tickets at the gate and enjoyed our view from the grass seats. Overs, wickets, and bowlers...I'm learning, really. In fact, it was a great match. At the end it was very close and came down to the last ball for the victory. A lovely evening it was, samosas and all.

LESOTHO Pony Trail

And sometimes you need a break...I had the opportunity to go to Lesotho April 27-May 1 to do some pony treking with some Refilwe staff and friends. We had a wonderful time in the Maluti mountains, taking in the beauty of land that is so untouched. This was done on the back of a horse for three days, which was a new experience for me. Besides some chaffing and a sore bum, I can say it was a fabulous way to explore new areas where only the sheep, goats, cows, and shepherds live. We slept in a Basotho hut for the two nights on the trail, used cow dung fires, ate a traditional Basotho meal, tried to stay warm (there was snow on the mountain tops), and generally just had a great time! It was good to get to know some co-workers outside of work in a completely new setting. The top picture is the whole gang on the highest point in Southern Africa, which we reached on our second day out. The other pics are from the trail. My horse (whose name in English meant Laziness) needed some motivation but knew the trail well and got me home safe and sound! (For more pictures--see Facebook)

HOME-CARE TEAM

Although I don't have pictures right now, I just wanted to give an update about what is going on with the Home-care Team (where I actually spend most of my time at Refilwe). The government has decided to fund our project for another year, which is great news. So, we have been able to increase our numbers to 19. The past 2 months has been primarily training to prepare them for doing counseling and testing of HIV in the communities. Because of the stigma that is so prevalent in these areas, we have changed our focus to educating and testing for chronic diseases. So, when we go out to areas, we educate and test for Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. We are still waiting for a few final details to begin with the HIV testing, but we have started testing for the other chronic diseases. We continue to do home visits to clients who are sick, orphans, and other people who need social work assistance. We are hoping to move into some new communities that seem to have a greater need than the four informal settlements that we visit now. This is where we are at now and I will give you updates as we proceed. You can pray specifically for:
* Training to be finalized (the team has to retake a test that will enable them to do HIV counseling).
* Communities to be responsive to the education and testing that we hope to do.
* Good communication between Refilwe and community leaders to promote cooperation.
* MOTIVATION of the home-care team to do a good job and be passionate about the work they are doing at Refilwe.

Sowetto CONCERT

On a recent Sunday afternoon, the Sowetto Choir and Orchestra came to Refilwe for a fundraising concert. The orchestra played and the choir sang all types of music--from classical to African traditional songs. People came and sat on the lawn under the trees next to the river with their picnics and enjoyed a lovely day with family and friends. Donations were accepted to help them with costs as they travel to other areas. The day was enjoyed by all and will hopefully happen again sometime!

Mamas' Afternoon TEA

This was taken at a Sunday afternoon tea that Kat, Sarah, and I prepared for the Mamas at Refilwe. We had tea and coffee, small sandwiches, tea biscuits with fruit, and banana bread. Pictured above are myself, Mama Albertina, Mama Kevine, Mama Hope, and two women who were visiting for the weekend from Port Elizabeth. The one on the far right was Miriam and she runs a house of about 25 children. Her children are with her for life and have come from all types of horrible circumstances. All the Mamas shared their stories and experiences and encouraged one another in the work that they are doing. I was overwhelmed by the faith and strength that these women demonstrate in their lives every day. Funny, how our goal is to encourage and the Mamas always encourage us in exchange!

GIRLS' Day Out

Some of the female volunteers (Meredith, myself, Kat, and Sarah--not pictured) decided to take out some of the teenage girls from Refilwe to see a movie the other Saturday afternoon. We invited all of the girls who attend the Hands of Hope school at Refilwe to go out. It was a fun time of getting away, relaxing, and getting to know each other a bit more. Most of them also live at Refilwe and I have the opportunity to interact with them on a daily basis. They are great girls--pray for them as they finish school and look into their futures. Pray that they will make good decisions and be able to overcome the difficult pasts that most of them have experienced. This is my prayer for them...

LION and RHINO Park

Over the Easter weekend, a group of us from Refilwe went to a Lion and Rhino Nature Preserve. It's only a few kilometers from Refilwe and gave us a chance to see some animals and just have a good time together. The lions were eating when we were driving around. We also took in the reptile house and some educational animal presentations. The Nature Preserve focuses on awareness and also uses their animals in movies and commercials to earn money for future preservation.